In making at its ninth session in August 2019, the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) “welcomed the joint proposal by the United Nations and the Government of China to establish the United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre in Deqing, recognizing its potential to build global capacity, in particular for developing countries.” This decision was followed by a series of consultations between the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), serving as the UN-GGIM Secretariat, and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) of China, culminating in the signing of an Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding on 20 May 2022, establishing the United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (UN-GGKIC). At its fourteenth session, the Committee of Experts welcomed the establishment of the UN-GGKIC and endorsed its Strategic Plan.
The overarching goal of the UN-GGKIC is to advance the implementation of the United Nations Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (UN-IGIF), as mandated by Member States, by developing capacity and by promoting and supporting the innovation, leadership, coordination and standards required to develop, strengthen, integrate and deliver national geospatial information policy, data, systems, tools, services and capabilities, and to embed these within national development policies, strategies and institutional arrangements. The objective of the UN-GGKIC is to strengthen and advance the geospatial information management and capacity development capabilities of Member States, in particular developing countries, and to enhance knowledge sharing and innovative cooperation.
The modalities for operationalizing the UN-GGKIC, as provided in the Memorandum of Understanding, include a Framework Plan and the establishment of a Steering Committee and an International Advisory Committee. The UN-GGKIC develops and implements its annual programme of work in accordance with the Framework Plan and its Strategic Plan. The Steering Committee provides strategic advice on the UN-GGKIC annual programme of work and its implementation, including the use of funds. The International Advisory Committee (IAC), comprising international geospatial experts drawn from UN-GGIM with balanced geographical representation and diversity, provides the guidance and advice required on the development, implementation and review of the substantive annual work plan of the UN-GGKIC, in consultation with the Head of the Centre.
The inaugural composition of the IAC of the UN-GGKIC was established in 2024 as the principal advisory body guiding the Centre’s development and operations during its critical initial two-year operational period. The IAC provided strategic guidance on the , facilitated its endorsement by the UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) in August 2024, and actively supported the iterative development and operationalization of the Centre's workplan for 2025, 2026 and initial draft for 2027. Since then, the IAC’s strategic advice and guidance underpinned the Centre’s planning and the delivery of its activities, supporting Member States and the senior management of National Geospatial Information Agencies across the regions.
The meeting is convened at a pivotal moment in the development of the UN-GGKIC, following the completion of the two-year term (2024 – 2026) of the first IAC’s inaugural composition in accordance with its Terms of Reference. The meeting therefore marks the second composition of the IAC with due considerations for sustainability with members and the need for renewed perspectives and commitments from new members.
This meeting of the International Advisory Committee of the United Nations Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Centre (UN-GGKIC) serves several objectives:
- Review the Centre’s progress and achievements against the 2024–2026 work plan, under its five strategic objectives, namely Developing Leadership and Collaboration, Addressing National Priorities, Progressing Geospatial Knowledge, Enabling Innovation and Technology, and Enhancing Communication and Awareness;
- Guide and advise the development and design of the Centre’s work plan for 2027-28 towards advancing the implementation of ECOSOC resolution 2022/241 focused on the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN-IGIF to enhance and strengthen the development of geospatial information management capacity and capabilities of Member States, especially developing countries;
- Consider and advise on strengthening knowledge sharing, innovation cooperation and capacity development partnerships for Member States including for mobilizing, catalyzing and facilitating access to global financial, technical and scientific resources needed to advance the implementation of national geospatial information management principles, frameworks, guides and methods;
- Advise and advance collaboration and coordination with activities implemented across the UN-GGIM architecture including its regional committees, functional groups, thematic networks, the United Nations system and other relevant stakeholders, including in consideration of the results and report of the global survey on the UN-IGIF of 2026;
- Provide guidance on the methods and applications of geospatial information in other fields, and help conceptualize and scope, the themes and contributors for the quarterly webinar series on geospatial knowledge and innovation, in particular in relation to domain applications such as forestry, economy, gender, marine, and to emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, satellite imagery, real-time Earth observation, digital twins, drones and other positioning and navigation systems.;
- Support and advise on the development of leadership programme and curricula addressing geospatial leadership for national priorities and global agendas;
- Consider and guide the preparation of the annual Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Report, highlighting good practices and innovations from Member States in close consultation with relevant stakeholders experienced in the implementation of the UN-IGIF.